sting´ing|ly

sting «stihng», verb, stung or (Archaic) stang, sting|ing, noun.

–v.t.

1. to pierce or wound with a sharp-pointed organ (often) bearing a poisonous fluid: »

If a honeybee stings you, remove the stinger.

2. (of certain plants or substances) to produce irritation, rash, or inflammation in (a person's skin) by contact.

3. to affect with a tingling pain, burning sensation, sharp hurt, or the like: »

Mustard stings the tongue. The electric spark stung his arm.

4. Figurative. to affect with a sudden, sharp mental pain; cause to suffer mentally: »

He was stung by the jeers of the other children.

5. Figurative. to drive or stir up as if by a sting: »

Their ridicule stung him into making a sharp reply.

6. Slang, Figurative. to impose upon; charge too much; cheat: »

Gess I'll have to get down to the office now and sting a few clients (Sinclair Lewis).

–v.i.

1. to use a sting: »

Bees, wasps, and hornets sting.

2. to cause a feeling like that of a sting: »

Mustard stings.

3. Figurative. to feel sharp mental or physical pain or distress; smart: »

The groans of a person stinging under defeat (Thackeray).

–n.

1. the act of stinging.

2. a) a wound caused by stinging; prick; wound: »

Put mud on the sting to take away the pain.

b) the pain or smart of such a wound.

3. the sharp-pointed part of an insect, animal, or plant that pricks or wounds and often poisons: »

A wasp's sting is not left in the wound.

4. Botany. a stiff, sharp-pointed, glandular hair that emits an irritating fluid when touched, as on the nettle; stinging hair.

5. Figurative. a sharp pain or wound: »

the stings of remorse. The ball team felt the sting of defeat. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is they victory? (I Corinthians 15:55).

6. something that causes a sharp pain.

7. Figurative. something that drives or urges sharply; stimulus; incitement.

8. stinging quality; capacity to sting or hurt: »

Figurative. This passage…has been deprived of half its sting (Sir George Trevelyan).

9. U.S. Slang. an illegal scheme, such as a swindle, theft, or confidence game: »

Cosby, a safecracker, and Poitier, a con man, pull off separate, spectacular stings at the film's outset (Time).

╂[Old English stingan]

–sting´ing|ly, adverb.